Ghosts of Future Past
by Cael05
Summary: Something was off in the Vongola mansion. Rumors spread among the servants, the guardians are confused, G is curious and Giotto is aghast that someone's been impersonating him. Canon-ish AU. Series of Shorts.
1. Rumors

_Disclaimer:_ Katekyoushi Hitman Reborn belongs to the wonderful Amano Akira-sensei. The author does not gain anything in writing this fanfiction, well, except having fun screwing with the characters. (^Δ^)v

**Ghosts of Future Past**

_Summary:_ Something was off in the Vongola mansion. Rumors spread among the servants, the guardians are confused, G is curious and Giotto is aghast that someone's been impersonating him. Canon-ish AU. Drabble series.

* * *

><p><em><strong>Rumors<strong>_

The rumors started off a week ago.

"Footsteps! In the middle of the night! I've been hearing them for three days!"

"You too? I actually hear them in the morning, even though the hallways are empty."

"The other night, I was heading to my quarters when I tripped. I didn't fall though; someone held my arm behind me. I was about to thank him but when I turned around… I found that I was alone."

"I woke up earlier than usual today so I went to the kitchen to start off work earlier too. When I opened the door, Master Giotto was sitting on the table. I greeted him, he smiled at me and we talked a bit 'til he left. …I found out later that the master never left his office until noon."

Giotto never paid much attention though. Because how could he if he was too busy dealing with internal policies, treaties with other _famiglie, _assassinations by enemies, long bills due to his destructive guardians and his bane of existence – paperwork.

Besides, even if he found the stories of their personnel interesting, G just nagged at him for asking about them.

"Rumors are just rumors." his bestfriend in his right-hand man mode admonished. "Don't get distracted and fucking finish these piles; you still have more."

And so, Giotto had to continue signing the blasted documents and ignore the hushed talks in his mansion.

Tried to, anyway.

To be honest, that last rumor he heard about with him in the kitchen kinda creeped him out a bit.

Giotto heard a faint chuckle but surely that was only his imagination.

* * *

><p>AN: Made a drabble series for practice. Shorter than what I usually write for a chapter but yeah. Of course, expect sporadic updates, I'm just getting the hang of writing again.


	2. Sightings

_Disclaimer:_ Katekyoushi Hitman Reborn belongs to the wonderful Amano Akira-sensei. The author does not gain anything in writing this fanfiction, well, except having fun screwing with the characters. (^Δ^)v

**Ghosts of Future Past**

_Summary:_ Something was off in the Vongola mansion. Rumors spread among the servants, the guardians are confused, G is curious and Giotto is aghast that someone's been impersonating him. Canon-ish AU. Drabble series.

_**Sightings**_

Giotto convinced G that they couldn't ignore the rumors anymore two weeks after they started; especially when even the other guardians started experiencing weird stuff too.

The first weird stuff was with Knuckle.

* * *

><p>"Good day Giotto…" Knuckle greeted as he entered his friend's office. He sat down next to Giotto's table and whispered conspiringly. "How was your trip today?"<p>

"Huh? What trip?" Giotto asked. "I swear I'd like to go somewhere but unfortunately I've been stuck here in this office for hours."

Knuckle widened his eyes as if realizing something. "Oh! I'm ultimately sorry Giotto, I didn't think it was a secret." He winked at Giotto. "Do not worry, I won't tell G. The Lord knows your good intentions. You just want to check the town's welfare personally."

Giotto was not able to tell Knuckle that, really, he didn't go to town that day since his sun guardian immediately exited his office, loudly muttering about ultimate secret-keeping.

G, who had just returned from fetching snacks, seeing Knuckle leaving the room, found Giotto deep in thoughts. "Hey Gio, what did the priest tell you?" he asked.

"Nothing much really," Giotto answered. "Except that apparently, I went to town today and Knuckle's keeping it a secret from you that he saw me."

G raised a brow at that. "What the heck is he talking about? We've been together this whole time."

* * *

><p>The next one was with Ugetsu.<p>

* * *

><p>Giotto was already heading to Ugetsu's room when he bumped into him in one of the hallways of the mansion.<p>

"Ah Ugetsu! I was about to go to your room to give you this." Giotto reached out and handed his friend one of his precious flutes.

Ugetsu smiled gratefully at Giotto as he saw the instrument and clutched it tightly to his chest. "Thank you very much Giotto. I really thought I have lost my flute. I did not know where I have dropped it and I have been looking for it everywhere."

Giotto just smiled; happy that he had helped his rain guardian and friend. "I found it inside my room. You probably left it there."

Ugetsu tilted his head in confusion. "But… I have never gone inside your room, Giotto."

Giotto realized later that actually, he's the only one who could enter his room.

* * *

><p>It wasn't the last but Lampo's case was what made Giotto talk about the weird happenings with G.<p>

* * *

><p>"Giotto!" Lampo barged into Giotto's office, crying indignantly. "Where did you put Lord Lampo's bag of candies?"<p>

Giotto, already too tired of signing the endless piles of paperwork from hell to deal with Lampo in one of his moods, replied _very_ patiently. "I didn't get any of your candies Lampo."

"But but… the maids told me you confiscated it a while ago!" Lampo insisted accusingly as he searched the drawers of Giotto's table. He opened one and triumphantly yelled. "_AHA!_ I knew it! Here it is!"

Giotto suddenly stood up in surprise, not minding the papers that scattered around him when he moved. "What!?" he sputtered. "But – How did it get there?"

Lampo only gave him an annoyed glare and sauntered off the office like the usual obnoxious little lord that he is.

Witnessing the scene, G clicked his tongue, seemingly not impressed with his bestfriend. "Gio, seriously, if you want to hide the candies from that brat, be sure to put it somewhere really hard to find. Your drawer's kind of a given."

G waited for an annoyed comeback but it didn't come. Instead, what Giotto said after startled him.

"Hey G, I have to tell you something."

Giotto shot his bestfriend a _very _serious look.

* * *

><p>"Okay…" G huffed as he started, "So let me get this straight. That time when Knuckle said you were in town, we've already established that you didn't go anywhere."<p>

Giotto nodded.

"Then, you found Flute-freak's flute inside your room and both of you don't know how it got there."

Another nod.

"And lastly, you're saying you never went to the kitchen to get the brat's candies but the maids said you did. It's either you're denying your stupid prank or the maids are lying. Of course, I am more inclined to believe the former. "

"G!" Giotto whined. "I swear I didn't even know Lampo hides his candies in the kitchen."

G stared at Giotto intensely. "Right, let's say you really didn't do it." Giotto shot him a dirty look which he easily ignored. "Considering everything that has happened, I can only say that maybe someone is playing a prank you."

G paused, and then looked at Giotto. "Or…"

"Or?" Giotto stared at G expectantly.

"This is just one of your antics again." G deadpanned.

Giotto restrained himself from the urge to smack his bestfriend on the head. "G… I'm being serious here."

G sighed as he reasoned out. "Well, what do you expect me to say here Giotto? It's quite obvious that no one here will ever prank you; you're Vongola's Boss. The only ones who can is me, and I'm pretty certain I'm not doing anything, and Cozarto who's on the other side of Italy. That option's out. Unless…" recognizing what Giotto has been suspecting the whole time, G sported an are-you-kidding-me look.

"Are you kidding me?" Of course, G had to say it too to accompany his expression.

Giotto explained as he tapped his temple lightly. "Hyper-intuition's been nagging me ever since hearing the kitchen rumor. Our maids are trained; it'll take a very skillful illusion to fool them. Daemon's the only one qualified considering, but we all know he's too proud for a prank and he's been away with Elena for two weeks."

"So… You're saying that the culprit might be the rumored ghost in the mansion?" G asked incredulously.

"…Which had been active for two weeks, yes." Giotto replied decisively.

The two childhood friends exchanged heated stares for a few minutes.

And like always, G was the first to relent.

Seeing that Giotto's normal stubborn look when he had decided on something, G sighed in resignation. "So what now?"

Giotto beamed, proud to have persuaded his bestfriend again. "We're ghost hunting! I want to know why the ghost's been appearing as me and confusing people."

"Really now? Don't you have a phobia of ghosts?" G mocked, remembering some of Giotto's childhood faults.

G flushed at his bestfriend's teasing but recovered quickly. "I – I've survived assassins, I'm sure I'll be fine with apparitions. The dead can't hurt the living; you were the one to say that."

"Fine. I'm just checking." G just shrugged nonchalantly.

"Ah... Don't give me that apathetic look G, we both know you're very curious now, too! You're the one who's really into the paranormal stuff." Giotto cajoled.

"Sure." G smirked. "So when are we hunting your doppelganger?"

Giotto blinked.

"My what?" Giotto asked.

"Doppelganger. That's what your ghost-double is called." G stated as a matter-of-factly.

Giotto stared at G in wonder. "You really know this stuff, don't you?"

G just watched at Giotto in return. "I do. So I'm asking again if you're really, _really_ sure you want to meet your double."

"Just how many times should I tell you I'd like to see the ghost?" Giotto frowned.

"Well, you see… There's a myth that if someone sees his own doppelganger, it's an omen of death. Just so you know."

G smirked.

Giotto paled considerably.

* * *

><p>AN:

So, two chapters in a row. It wouldn't leave me alone unless I've written this down. Just tells how stressed I am; typing up fanfiction instead of reviewing for a major exam tomorrow. Yay me!

Head-canon states that G is Giotto's nagging, teasing, caring babysitter. Behind closed doors, they banter like that. I'm actually thinking that with Cozart, they're a real riot. Giotto became phasmophobic because G and Cozart (who are paranormal geeks) ghost pranks him when they were younger.

Also, like what G said in the anime, he's the only person who could tolerate Giotto's weird antics. XD

You guys think this is going somewhere? I'm not sure myself. LOL

Thanks for the quick alerts, faves and reviews. Comments are highly appreciated!


	3. Team

_Disclaimer:_ Katekyoushi Hitman Reborn belongs to the wonderful Amano Akira-sensei. The author does not gain anything in writing this fanfiction, well, except having fun screwing with the characters. (^Δ^)v

**Ghosts of Future Past**

_Summary:_ Something was off in the Vongola mansion. Rumors spread among the servants, the guardians are confused, G is curious and Giotto is aghast that someone's been impersonating him. Canon-ish AU. Drabble series.

_**Team**_

"Urghh… Why are we here exactly? I still have a lot of things to do."

"Hush now. Primo asked us to be here and as his guardians, it's our duty to do so. Patience is a virtue."

"I agree. And for Primo to summon us _all_ so suddenly, it must be a matter of great importance."

"Nufufufufu… To be called right after we've just arrived from the negotiations, I say there is something wrong."

A series of murmurs filled the air.

"Enough with the speculations… You know something, don't you?"

G felt the focused gazes of his fellow guardians; each of them anticipating him to share what he knew. Alaude was right – as expected of a man who leads a private investigation organization apart from being the Cloud guardian – he had an idea of what the meeting was all about.

But to hell with it, he won't be the one to tell them.

G only shrugged. "Not really. I am as surprised as you are about this meeting."

Technically, that was true. G thought Giotto and he will be the only ones to investigate the rumors. If he plans on involving the others… ah yes, let Giotto handle telling his ridiculous plan.

He's going to continue feigning his ignorance.

G's answer earned him a mix of bewildered and suspicious looks but he only sat in his chair; his face remaining blank.

It was at that moment when the doors of the conference room finally opened. All of the attention that was previously on G shifted to the person whom the guardians had been waiting for.

Giotto nodded at them and gracefully walked to his place at the head of the table. When he had settled himself on his seat comfortably, he smiled, easing the tense atmosphere a bit.

"It's been a while since all of us gathered like this." He started. "Thank you for coming even though it was a short notice." Giotto especially gave a grateful nod towards his Mist and Cloud guardians – the ones who he knew were most busy these past weeks. The two acknowledged it in their own ways.

"No need to thank us Primo. You know we'll always be here when you need anything." Knuckle assured him which was collectively agreed upon by the others.

"Still… thank you." Giotto said.

"Hmmm… Now that we're done with the pleasantries Primo, do you mind telling us already the reason why you had assembled us here?" Daemon interjected, clearly much too interested now that he noticed how Giotto was prolonging his real purpose.

Ugetsu frowned, also catching Giotto's uncertainty. "Is there a problem with the _Family_?" he hesitated then asked worriedly. "Is it another enemy perhaps?"

"No way…" Lampo whined.

Seeing the concern in his guardians' faces, Giotto shook his head, denying any grave conclusion they were thinking about.

"Uhm… No. This is more like… a personal favor actually."

Ugetsu, Knuckle, Lampo were speechless; Daemon was taken aback while Alaude watched Giotto carefully.

Giotto rarely asked them anything, much less a _personal_ favor.

G, meanwhile, just rolled his eyes.

Giotto started to tell his account.

* * *

><p>G should have expected it. It was actually why he was always agreeing with him no matter how outrageous his ideas were.<p>

From now on, he'll never ever doubt Giotto's way with words. If he, who had been friends with him ever since they were young, wasn't immune to his... convincing prowess, why else did he think the others could otherwise?

"So… Primo really didn't confiscate my… sweets?" Lampo confirmed.

"Lampo, that isn't the real case here." Knuckle chided the little lord. "Someone is impersonating Primo and he's been roaming around freely; not only inside the mansion but to the town as well."

"And he could even access the rooms; no wonder our maids have been in unrest lately." Ugetsu turned to G. "Why aren't you saying anything about this G?"

G was about to defend himself when Giotto spoke. "Ah… I asked G keep it quiet actually. Besides, it's not until lately that we had pieced together this information. The details were all too… fuzzy."

_So tell them the most important bit now, you sneaky little… _G glared at Giotto who averted his eyes guiltily.

"Hmmph… Took you long enough to notice, no? If I were here, that copy-cat would've already been apprehended." Daemon claimed. "Nufufufu.. Well, this time he's not going anywhere."

Alaude stood up suddenly. "If there's nothing else, I have work to do." He turned around and quickly marched to the exit.

G noticed the investigator's knowing look. "Alaude, you're not joining the investigation?" he inquired.

Alaude stopped as he was about to turn the knob, and turned around. He knew about the spreading rumors and he easily figured out the most important bit Giotto was deliberately not telling. Of course, he was not going to join such absurdity.

But when he saw Giotto's expectant face, he... hesitated. A bit.

"It's later tonight right? I have to do some preparations." Alaude opened the door and in seconds, he was gone.

The others followed Alaude, saying they also have to do their own preparations. One by one, the guardians vacated the conference room until the only ones left were G and Giotto.

G faced his bestfriend.

"So Gio… This is your plan huh?" G asked sarcastically.

Giotto pouted _manly_. "What? It's not like I lied or something… They don't need to know that the person might be a ghost. We're not even sure if he is…"

"Oho…" G snorted, amused. "Not even sure if he is, may I remind you that you're the one insisting that he is… You know that Alaude figured out in the end right?"

"He's still joining us though—" Giotto sounded smug.

G tsked. "Melon-head's going to have a fit if he finds out as well…"

Giotto hummed. "Hmmm… I think he'll understand. Probably. Maybe I should ask Elena too? She likes this kind of things."

"Ugh…" G sighed resignedly. "The things I put up with you."

Giotto beamed too brightly. "I know you love me G."

G twitched. Then, he thwacked Giotto on the head.

* * *

><p>AN:

Who do you wanna call? Primo busters!

I'm probably playing too much with Giotto's weird antics but meh… it's fun. Especially when G is ruffled. And the others are clueless. (Well, except Alaude who is too observant for his own good.)

I listened to the Drama CD special with Primo and company in YouTube and figured Knuckle is preachy; Lampo's bratty; Ugetsu is high-class polite; Alaude talks and doesn't mind crowding too much and Daemon is actually sane pre-Elena's death. Dunno if I wrote them like that but please tell me if I didn't.

Thanks so for the faves, alerts, and most especially to the reviews. Comments are greatly appreciated. They're like vitamins to the author's plunnies.


	4. Encounter

_Disclaimer:_ Katekyoushi Hitman Reborn belongs to the wonderful Amano Akira-sensei. The author does not gain anything in writing this fanfiction, well, except having fun screwing with the characters. (^Δ^)v

**Ghosts of Future Past**

_Summary:_ Something was off in the Vongola mansion. Rumors spread among the servants, the guardians are confused, G is curious and Giotto is aghast that someone's been impersonating him. Canon-ish AU. A series of shorts.

_**Encounter**_

All of a sudden, flares of sky flames burst out, pulsating wildly as they leaked out from Giotto's body in huge amounts. All eyes turned to him immediately and they saw their Boss' – _friend's_ – hunched form; his face contorted as if he was in pain.

"PRIMO!"

"PRIMO!"

"GIOTTO!"

The guardians chorused frantically. They tried to run to Giotto's side but the sheer amount of fire surrounding him prevented them to do so. They could only watch helplessly as Giotto struggled hard to suppress his uncontrollable flames.

"W-what are you doing to Primo?!" Lampo demanded, glaring furiously at the figure at the corner of the large ballroom. "You – you liar!"

Ugetsu clenched his fist on his sword. "Primo never doubted your words…"

"How insolent of you to deceive us..." Daemon Spade gritted his teeth.

"I should have known it. Giotto – no – _we_ shouldn't have trusted _you_." G snarled; his anger simmering underneath the cold look he was giving the entity, the one that started all the mess they were in.

The one who is currently endangering his best friend.

"No! I – I swear I don't know what's happening! This – this shouldn't even be happening at all!"

The figure's cries of denial fell on deaf ears and as it tried to reason out once again, the sky flames started to converge to where he is.

"Could it be? He's stealing Giotto's sky flames!" Knuckle realized. "We should stop him quick!"

The others didn't need to be told. Alaude, bearing multiple handcuffs, and Daemon, with his scythe in hand, had already charged forwards to where the entity was. Ugetsu followed them; his three short swords on his left hand while a long blade occupied his right. Knuckle, who had shed his cassock and donned his gloves, was a step behind Ugetsu.

Lampo stayed behind, using his shield to cover him and G as they walked through the flames to get near Giotto.

G could hear his fellow guardians' attacks and by the sound of it, they were having a hard time shattering the globe of sky flames that had formed around the entity. G silently cursed and decided to step around Lampo's protective shield, reaching out to clasp on Giotto's shoulder.

G ignored the prickling heat that was burning his arm. By the time he had successfully grabbed his friend, the surging sky flames stopped exuding from Giotto. G and Lampo cushioned Giotto's limp body before it fell on the floor.

"Giotto! Giotto! Damn it! Open your eyes!" G cradled Giotto; worriedly taking in the pale, unresponsive form of his best friend.

Meanwhile, the sphere of sky flames had been smashed into smithereens with the sheer force of a combined blow from the four attacking guardians.

The combined attack was also forceful enough to make an explosion.

Pinkish smoke engulfed the entirety of Vongola mansion's ballroom.

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><p>AN:

Short chapter. Nonetheless, enjoy! /shot


	5. Lucid Dream

_Disclaimer:_ Katekyoushi Hitman Reborn belongs to the wonderful Amano Akira-sensei. The author does not gain anything in writing this fanfiction, well, except having fun screwing with the characters. (^Δ^)v

**Ghosts of Future Past**

_Summary:_ Something was off in the Vongola mansion. Rumors spread among the servants, the guardians are confused, G is curious and Giotto is aghast that someone's been impersonating him. Canon-ish AU. A series of shorts.

* * *

><p>AN: Was there a missing chapter? Nope. Everyone's confused? Yes? Good. So was I.

* * *

><p><em><strong>Lucid Dream<strong>_

Usually, one doesn't know that he is dreaming. Sawada Tsunayoshi, however, is an exemption.

That's probably because he's been _living the dream_ for a while.

Tsuna meant it literally.

* * *

><p>The first time it happened, it was like any other dream. The scenes were disjointed and didn't make any sense. One moment, Tsuna was inside a room and a blink after, he was walking along an empty hallway, or a dark dungeon, or a beautiful garden. It was like watching a movie where the scenes were jumbled and cut off in the most important parts.<p>

It became a cycle of sorts and it stayed like that for quite some time.

At one point, the scenes began to change. Everything started to become much more detailed: he could now hear sounds, the colors were livelier and brighter, the air smelled different and he could feel... things.

Tsuna confirmed this when at one encounter with a servant – _where'd she come from?_ – he had instinctively grabbed the girl before she could hurt herself from tripping. The movement surprised him as well that right after it happened, he was again transported to another place: the lavatory.

He never bothered before but that got him to think about it.

It was really odd feeling his senses now because he _is_ dead.

Or well, technically, temporarily dead. In a suspended animation. Whatever Shouichi Irie called it in his explanation.

He is currently in a slumber like death.

_Why?_

Alas, he remembered everything.

And he was made aware that he _is_ dreaming.

* * *

><p>Everything in his dream halted the moment he realized what it really was. Everything went stark white and he found himself contained in a cylindrical room with no decors whatsoever.<p>

Silence permeated the air.

Time tick-tocked.

Tsuna didn't like it much.

* * *

><p>He was supposed to be stored as mere molecules in this room – this white round thing – if he remembered correctly.<p>

As a lump of chemically-bonded atomic particles, he shouldn't be feeling anything right? Time for him should have been stopped; he was supposed to have died and if their plan succeeded, he would awaken right after everything had settled to normal once again.

So why was he feeling like this?

Tsuna felt really, _really_ bored.

Time tick-tocked.

And he really_, _really felt _alone_.

* * *

><p>He heard of churning and clicking gears. It was the most interesting thing that happened to him in <em>Kami-knows-how-long<em>. When it stopped, Tsuna was greeted by the Vongola boxes that was once theirs, floating in mid-air.

It looked like Shouichi had successfully acquired the Vongola boxes from Kyoya secretly.

Tsuna sighed regrettably as he remembered the burden he had given his Cloud guardian.

Looking at the boxes, he reached out to the one closest to him – his own box weapon Natsu. As he cradled it on his palm, he was rewarded with a slight trembling of the box, an indication that Natsu had felt his presence. If only he had his Vongola ring, he could open the boxes and bask in the company of his friends' companions.

Then, he would never feel alone in this place.

Maybe it had been better off with his strange dreams. At least there, he had something to do that would prevent him from thinking too much about… his _family_…his future… the rest of the worlds' futures.

As Tsuna thought this, he felt warmth coming from his box weapon.

In a matter of seconds, he was engulfed in soft sky flames.

He was dreaming again, but this time around, he was very much in control.

* * *

><p>Did he say very much in control? Well, not really…<p>

They say dreams express the things in a person's subconscious. Now finding himself inside the Vongola mansion in this new dream, what does that say about his subconscious?

If he was in control, he probably would have willed to be in Namimori – in a normal day with his _family_.

It was no use complaining, he thought. Better here than in that dull white place.

And at least, he's self-aware in this new dream. Honestly, this wasn't the first time he had experienced this. He remembered Hayato explaining the phenomenon (he couldn't remember the name) to him – because it is just right up his expertise – talking about REM, brain signals, neurobiological models and other scientific jargon. But like any other theoretical discussion with his right-hand man, he never fully understood.

The only thing that stuck with him is this: when this kind of dream happens, he could do what he wanted.

And yes, that's what he's going to do.

He's going to enjoy whatever this dream has to offer him.

He proceeded to walk through familiar paths, beholding the refreshing feeling of having something to look at – being stuck in that endless white really depressed him too much. He wandered throughout the mansion, taking in everything.

As he inspected the place though, Tsuna noticed some differences from the mansion he knew. Like the 200-year-old antique jar decorated near his office that he was fond of; it looked rather new. And the portraits of the Vongola Bosses in the Assembly room were nowhere in sight.

Dreams are really weird...

* * *

><p>This is the weirdest dream Tsuna had. <em>Hands down.<em>

Its silliness even precedes that dream where he was chased by a giant Pacman.

Just what kind of subconscious does he have for giving him a role of a ghost in the Vongola mansion being occupied by the First generation? That lady in the kitchen even thought he was his ancestor.

Honestly though, he was seriously enjoying himself.

Because seeing the heralded Vongola Primo being scolded by his right-hand man for not doing his paperwork?

Just priceless.

Tsuna could only chuckle at the absurdity of it all.

* * *

><p>AN:

And thus, explains the title of the story. I hope. Been _years _since I watched the anime and read the manga so bear with me.

So, what _really_ happened before the chaos in the last chapter? Someone's giving us his account soon. _Hint. Hint_.

By the way, lucid dreaming is a phenomenon by which the dreamer is aware that he is in a dream, giving him _some _control in what he's going to do in it. You know, the feeling when you realize "Oh my gahd, this is a dream. I don't like it. I'm going to wake up!" and sometimes you really wake up, or you thought you woke up but actually you just have another dream where you wake up. Did I make sense? _I am no expert in this! _

Anyways, thanks so much for the positive response.

Comments? Suggestions? Violent reactions?


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